STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1166-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2288

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor & Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 2288, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GOVERNMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require that travel reports submitted by state employees, officers, or other representatives of state departments or agencies, in connection with out-of-state or intra-state travel for purposes of official state business, be made available for public review on the Comptroller's website, subject to certain exceptions; and

(2) Appropriate funds to provide digital and searchable public access to the travel reports of state employees, officers, and other representatives of the State for travel that is related to official state business.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; and Department of Accounting and General Services. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Judiciary.

Your Committee finds that out-of-state and intra-state travel information by state employees, officers, or other representatives is difficult to acquire, as there is no accessible, searchable database to find out how often state officials use taxpayer-funded travel and how much it costs. The reporting requirements in this measure seek to promote open government, transparency, and accountability by improving access to travel data.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor & Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2288, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2288, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor & Government Operations,

____________________________

SCOT Z. MATAYOSHI, Chair